Израиль заморозил поставку оружия в Грузию по просьбе России

Aug 05, 2008 23:05

http://yandex.ru/yandsearch?how=tm&text=Livni%20Russia%20Georgia%20Israel

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1008784.html

Following Russian pressure, Israel freezes defense sales to Georgia
By The Associated Press
Tags: Russia, Israel, Georgia, Iran
Israel has decided to halt all sales of military equipment to Georgia because of objections from Russia, which is locked in a feud with its tiny Caucasus neighbor, defense officials said Tuesday.

The officials said the freeze was partially intended to give Israel leverage with Moscow in its attempts to persuade Russia not to ship arms and equipment to Iran. They spoke on condition of anonymity as Israel does not officially publish details of its arms sales.

Russia has repeatedly refused to comment on reports its is selling S-300 air defense missiles to Iran.

Among items Israel has been selling to Tbilisi are pilotless drone aircraft. Russian fighters shot one down in May, according to UN observers.

Russia sent Israel a letter of protest after the shooting incident asking it to stop supplying military hardware to Georgia as Russia from time to time complies with Israel's requests not to supply weapons systems to states seen as threatening Israel, according to a report Tuesday in the Israeli daily Maariv.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment Tuesday on the reported arms trade freeze.

Georgian Cabinet minister Temur Yakobashvili denied the report.

"There has been no decision by Israel to stop selling weapons. The gossip about that in the Israeli media is linked to the internal political process in Israel," Yakobashvili said.

Israel is one of the world's leading arms exporters but does not detail the contents or value of its trade with individual countries.

In addition to the spy drones, Israel has also been supplying Georgia with infantry weapons and electronics for artillery systems, and has helped upgrade Soviet-designed Su-25 ground attack jets assembled in Georgia, according to Koba Liklikadze, an independent military expert based in Tbilisi. Former Israeli generals also serve as advisers to the Georgian military.

Israeli officials have been warning of a possible military strike against what it says is a nuclear weapons program under development by Tehran. The sale by Russia of anti-aircraft weapons could help Iran fend off an attack.

Iran denies it has nuclear arms ambitions, saying its program is for peaceful purposes.

The disagreement between Russia and Georgia centers on two breakaway Georgian provinces which have close ties with Russia.

Россия, оружие, Грузия, Израиль

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